The personal safety charity was set up in 2002 following the murder of Walton schoolgirl Amanda “‘Milly” Dowler by her parents, Bob and Sally.

On October 17 — National Personal Safety Day — they will officially hand over responsibility for the group’s activities to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which, like Milly’s Fund, works to raise awareness of safety issues.

“When we launched the fund, it was not as a lifetime charity and in our first business plan we set ourselves a life span of three years, which, of course, brings us up to October this year,” said Sally. “During that time, we have worked very closely with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

“We still have a lot of assets within the charity. I approached the trustees of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and said ‘Would you like to take over the activities of Milly’s Fund?’ – and that is what is going to happen within the next few weeks.”

Sally expressed her gratitude to Elmbridge residents for their huge support. She said. “When we have tried to organise projects, local people and businesses have just been brilliant. They have done all they can to help.”

Looking to life after Milly’s Fund, she said: “What we really want to do is take stock and spend a bit of time together as a family and relax a bit and then decide what we will do next.”

During the past three years, the charity has initiated a number of campaigns, including Teach UR Mum 2 TXT and Watch Over Me, which both encourage children to look at their own security.

The charity is currently working on a project, Inspire, which will see a personal safety packet distributed among every police force in the country. A poster campaign — The Streets Deserve Respect — is set to be rolled out and includes slogans such as “It’s OK to walk away” and “Don’t flash your cash” developed by children themselves.

“When we set up Milly’s Fund in October 2002, we set ourselves some clear objectives about promoting personal safety, primarily for secondary school children, teenagers and adults,” said Mrs Dowler. “Over the past three years, we have achieved a huge amount.

“When I was writing draft letters to people who were supporting us and started listing the projects we have managed to do it, was very satisfying. I feel very proud that we have managed to achieve what we have done.”

She added that all of the work she has put in since 2002 has helped her to deal with the loss of her daughter.

“The pain never goes away but you get used to living with it,” she said. “As a family, we have helped each other through some hard times.

“I think Milly’s Fund has definitely helped because, as a person, I am quite energetic and enthusiastic and like to get my teeth into something.

“It has given me something to concentrate on and think about because there are lots of things that I don’t want to think about.”

Julie Bentley,chief executive of the Suzy Lamlugh Trust, which works to encourage safety wherever people are at risk, said: “We feel very proud and privileged to be taking on the work of Milly’s Fund.

“Previously, I was a youth worker, so young people and ways to work with them is something I know about and hold very close to my heart.”